Check-printing machine.



No. 781,865. PATBNTED PEB. 7, 1905.I

E. E. ANGELI..

CHECK PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1904.

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g? JL "WM 5%?? UNITED STATES Patented February 7, 1905.

PATENT EETCE.

CHECK-PRINTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,865, dated February '7, 1905.

Application filed January 2, 1904. Serial No. 187,418.

To (1J/Z mit/)711, it many concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN E. ANGELI., of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Printing' Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for printing on bank-checks, &c., after the same have been filled out, a statement indicating' the approximate amount of the check, the printing being' effected by a die which indents the check, and is incapable of being altered without serious mutilation of the check, the object being' to prevent the raising of the check. Checkprinting machines of this kind usually comprise a frame or casing in which is journaled a printing-cylinder having' raised printing' characters on its periphery, adapted when the check is pressed against said periphery to form an indented impression in the check, the cylinder being rotatable to bring any desired line of type into printing' position. The machine is also provided with means for inking the printing-cylinder and with means for pressing' the check against the cylinder.

My invention consists in a certain improved construction, hereinafter described, of a printing-cylinder and in certain improvements in the inking means, the impression-pad, and the means for guiding the check to the desired position between the printing-cylinder and the impression block or pad.

Of the accompanying' drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a check-printing machine embodying my invention. Fig'. 2 represents an end view of the same. Fig'. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig'. 4 represents a perspective view of a portion of the printing-cylinder. Fig. 5 represents a top view of the rocking frame which holds the inkroll and the impression-pad.

r1`he same characters of reference indicate the same parts in all of the drawings.

Vin the drawings, ay represents a casing formed to contain the printing-cylinder the inking-roll c, the impression pad or block d, and the rocking frame or holder e, which supports the said inking-roll and impression-pad.

The printing-cylinder is composed of a cylindrical body 5, which preferably hollow and is provided at its ends with hubs or spiders 6, aiiixed to a cylinder or shaft 7, the end portions of which are journaled in bearings in the ends of the casingl fr. To the cylindrical body 5 is aih'xed a cylindrical electrotype-plate 8, upon which are Vformed rows 9 9 of printing' characters extending parallel with the axis of the cylinder. Each row of characters may comprise the words Not more than, together with the amount in letters and minierals which the row is intended to represent. For example, beginning at one end of the cylindrical plate, the first row may comprise the words Not more than six dollars, followed by the characters $6.00S. The next row may contain the words Not more than ten dollars and correspoiuling ligures, and so on. 1n the preferred embodiment of my invention the cylinder is provided with rows of type indicating from live dollars to fifty thousand dollars. The c,\\'lindrical electrotype-platc 8 is provided at one end with an extension 18 on which is inscribed a series of condensed expressions 19 of the statementsrepresented by the different rows of type, the said expressions in this case commencing with 5 and ending with OBL rlhese condensed expressions, which Vl will hereinafter term index characters, are visible through a sig'htopening' 12 in the casing and are arranged so that when each index character is visible through said opening the line of type corresponding thereto is in position to print an inipression upon a check. The index characters are preferably indented in the surface of the extension 18, the indentations being' preferably colored to contrast strongly with the color of the surface of the extension, so that the index characters will be conspicuous and be easily readable. The electrotypeplate may be ailixed to the cylindrical body 5 by means of rivets i3 or other fastening's, as shown in Figs. 3 and 1.

It will be seen that by forming the printing characters and the index characters on an electrotype-plate the said characters can be quickly and securely applied to the cylindrical body so that an efficient and desirable print- IOO ing-cylinder is provided at a relatively small expense, the electrotype-plate 8 being originally formed in a flat condition and subsequently curved into the form of a cylinder and then attached to the cylindrical body 5.

One end of the shaft 7 to which the printing-cylinder is affixed is extended from one end of the casing and provided with a handwheel or knob 15, whereby the cylinder may be rotated.

The carriage e, supporting the ink-roller c and the impression-pad d, is mounted to oscillate on a supporting shaft or rod e, the ends of which are mounted in the ends of the casing.

`g represents an operating rod or plunger, which is movable in guides afTixed to or formed on the casing, the upper portion of the rod Vprojecting above the casing, while its lower portion is provided with shoulders g g', which engage the upper and lower edges of a slot e2, formed in the holder e. A spring z', interposed between a support on the casing and a shoulder on the upper portion of the plunger g, normally raises the plunger and causes it to hold the ink-roll c against the periphery of the printing-cylinder and the pad d away from said cylinder, as indicated in Fig. 3. When the plunger g is depressed by downward pressure on the knob g2 on its upper end, the holder c is moved to press the pad CZ, which is of yielding material, preferably rubber, against the check interposed between said pad and the printing-cylinder, the inking-roll being at the same time separated from the periphery of the cylinder. An impression of one of the rows of type is thus made on a check introduced between guidingplates fand 7c. The said plate jis provided with a slot j", coinciding with and adapted to receive the pad CZ, the said plate jbeing provided at its ends with upwardly-bent ears j?, aiixed to the ends of the casing c. The plate 7' is preferably curved to conform to the periphery of the printing-cylinder, its upper edge being located somewhat above the lower surface of an inwardly projecting flange a2, which is formed on the casing a, and with the plate j constitutes the Lipper side of a check-receiving throat or guide in the front of the casing. rlhe plate has an outwardly-projecting ear 7n', which is affixed to the front of the casing, the plate constituting the lower side of said throat. It will be seen that when the pad Z is in its normal position of separation from the printing-cylinder a check inserted in said throat will pass between the pad and the under side of the plate Lfand will extend across the slot j. Hence when the pad is raised it will force a portion of the checkv into the slot j and press it against the row of printing characters coinciding with said slot. The ends of the casing are provided with slots a3, which constitute extensions of the check-receiving throat. The extent to which the check may be projected into the casing is determined by adjustable slotted guides m, afxed by thumb-screws m to the ends of the casing and formed to constitute stops extending across the slots c3.

My machineis distinguished from other machines heretofore employed for the same purpose chiefiy by the peripheral row of index characters 19 rotating with the printing-cylinder within the casing and the sight-opening 12 in the front of the casing arranged so that the operator while facing the front of the casing can view each index character brought by the rotation of the cylinder to the sight-opening'.

Heretofore, so far asI am aware, index characters have been located on a rotary part, such as the operating knob or wheel 15, and an indicating mark or device has been located on the adjacent end of the casing to coperate with the index characters, the arrangement being such that the operator is obliged to view one end of the casing in adjusting the cylinder. inasmuch as the operator holds the check in one hand and grasps the operating-knob 15 in the other hand when preparing to print, the operation is much more conveniently performed when the front side of the machine faces the operator than when one end of the machine so faces. Hence by providing the sight-opening in the front side and arranging the index characters in a peripheral row within the casing the convenience of the machine is increased. The index characters arranged in a peripheral row at one end of the rows of printing characters may be applied to the cylinder or to the shaft 7, to which the cylinder is affixed in anysuitable way, the preferred means of application bein'g the extension 18 on the plate 8.

The frame or holder e is preferably made in two parts or sections- 21 and 22, the section 21 being mounted directly on the shaft e and having the slot c2 and a socket which secures the base of the pad (Z, while the section 22 is mounted independently on the shaft e and has ears supporting the shaft of the ink-roll c.

A portion as of the back of the casing a is detachable from the body of the casing to expose and permit the cleaning, as well as the insertion and removal of the cylinder. Said removable portion is detachably secured by lugs or ears on its upper end engaging fixed portions of the casing and screws a at its'lower end engaging fixed ears a7 within the casing. The plunger g slides in guides on the removable portion (t3 and is therefore applied and removed with the latter.

I claim- 1. A check printing or indenting machine comprising a casing having in one side a sightopening and a check-receiving throat, a rotary printing-cylinder within the casing having rows of raised printing characters adapted to act on a check inserted in said throat, a peripheral row of index characters located at one end of the series of printing characters IOO IIO

and visible singly through Said Sight-opening, an oscillatory Aframe or holder Within the casing. an impression-pad and an inking-roll su pported by Said holder and located at opposite sides of the center of oscillation of the same, a plunger engaged with Said holder and projecting outside the easing, and a spring which yieldingly holds the pad out of contact with the cylinder and the inliing-roll in contact therewith, the spring also holding' the plunger yieldingly projected from the casing.

Q. A cheek printing or indenting machine comprising a casing having' a cheek-receiving opening in its front portion, and a removable rear portion, a printing-cylinder within the casing, an oscillatory holder below the said cylinder and opening'. said holder having an inking-roller and an impression-pad, and a sp1'ingraiSed plunger sup ported by the removable portion of the casing and detaehably engaged with the holder.

3. In a check-printer, a revoluble support having a series of printing-blocks thereon, a

pivoted platen-frame, a platen on said frame on one `aide of said pivot, an inking-roller on said frame on the other side of said pivot, and a spring for holding the platen away from the type-blocks and for holding' the inking-roller against them.

1n a check-printer, a revoluble support having a series ot' printing-blocks thereon, a pivoted platen-frame, a compressible platen on said frame on one side ot' the pivot, an inking-roller on Said frame on the other side ot' the pivot, and a spring for holding the platen away from the type-blocks and `for holding the inking-rollcr against them.

5. In a check-printer, a revoluble support having a series of printing-blocks thereon, a pivoted platen-frame, a platen on said frame on one side of said pivot, an inling-roller on Said frame on the other side of said pivot, a Spring Jfor holding' the platen away from the type-blocks and for holding the inking-roller against them, and a plunger for engagingthe platen-frame on the Same Side ot' the pivot as said inking-roller.

6. 1n a check-printer, a revoluble support having a series of printing-blocks thereon, a pivoted platen-frame, a platen on said frame on one side ot' Said pivot, an inking-roller on said frame on the other side of said pivot, a spring for holding the platen away from the type-blocks and for holding' the inking-roller against them, and' a plunger for engaging the platen-frame on the same side of the pivot as said inking'ioller and at a greater distance therefrom.

ln testimony whereof I have atlixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

E I)\Vl N E. ANG ELL.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES D. FARLEY, C. F. BROWN. 

